Hi, I live in Raleigh NC, Had Bermuda Turf type Sod installed about 4 weeks ago. It seems to be getting thinner and thinner and the shorter I cut it the browner it gets. We have alot or rain lately and almost think it is drowning. I fertilized about 1 week ago with Scotts but see no difference.
The lawn is full sun, the installers didn't do the best job of getting the ground even,there are definately some high spots that I keep scalping.

I have been cutting at about 3" as any lower seems to scalp it.

Please help.

Thanks

davepr,

Well you won't find many on this site that will commend you on the use of Scotts fertilizer. In case you haven't noticed a trend, this is an organic group. Our fertilizer recommendations will run in that vein.

As far as the Bermuda grass I am familiar with, trying to maintain it at 3" is WAY too high. Our common Bermuda will need to be cut at a maximum of 1" and the Tif varieties even shorter. I proved to myself the best way to thin out Bermuda to the point of elimination is to try and cut it as high as my St. Augustine.

Full sun is the perscription for Bermuda, so that isn't part of the problem. The ground must be awful bumpy if 3" is the required cutting height without scalping areas. That will have to be resolved, because your current cutting height is at least part of your problem.

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Keeping it clean and green here, Boss.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

I'm going to bite my tongue on the kind of fertilizer but the fact that you fertilized new sod could be part of the problem. Usually new sod is overfertilized at the sod farm. Then when you get it, it is ripe for fungal disease under the daily watering regimen. The best thing that can be done for new sod is to apply corn meal the day it goes down. Then don't do anything but water it daily for a week or two before backing way off on the watering. Now is as good a time as any to try to stop the spread. Apply it at a rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet and wait 3 weeks.

Was it rolled down upon application? Should have been. If not, that's two mistakes by the installer. First was not getting a perfectly flat surface for bermuda. You should not be scalping at 3 inches, or 2 inches, or 1 inch, or 1/2 inch. Golf courses have huge areas they mow at 1/16 inch high. It can be done.

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David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum